[bestbits] Programme for Best Bits annual meeting

[Jeremy Malcolm]

Since the good news that the 2013 IGF will be going ahead after all, it's time to revise and finalise the programme for our annual meeting in Bali.  The interim steering group has been talking about this, and here was their suggestion for topics (the descriptions are mine though):

Day 1

1) Best Bits itself: goals, structure, processes, fundraising, interactions with other groups, etc. The interim steering group is working on a documents with our brainstorming about all this, which we will share soon.  The purpose of this session is to reach a consensus that we are heading in the right direction (or not), and to provide a mandate to carry out proposals that will help us grow and become stronger and more sustainable.

2) Global Internet governance principles and Enhanced Cooperation.  As you know, there are groups at the IGF MAG and the CSTD discussing these issues, but until now there has been no strong unified civil society position about the evolution of Internet governance arrangements, and this equivocation has played into the wrong hands.  We have been largely split between groups that are averse to any changes, and those with proposals for changes that are seen as radical.  The purpose of this session (as I see it, anyway) is to get together behind a shared position that can become a solid base for advocacy.  We already have a working group arguing over these issues (in a good way), which will report back to this main list soon.

Day 2

3) The ITU processes, up to the ITU Plenipotentiary in 2014 and the WSIS+10 review.  What is coming up?  What is our long term strategy?  Have we responded adequately to the ITU's most recent refusal to open up the Council Working Group on Internet Policy to stakeholders?  If we still don't see change at the Plenipotentiary, what then - do we disengage?

4) The NSA surveillance issue may become a sub-item of the ITU discussion, given that there are countries that may bring this debate to the ITU. But it will also include an update on the Human Rights Council, stateside developments, how this has altered the Internet governance landscape in the long term, and general strategy going forward.

There's also a lot of other work to be done between now and then, including work on the website (so that you can actually register for the meeting!) and on fundraising (to help pay for it).  I'll be posting more about that very soon.

Meanwhile your comments are invited on the programme...

-- 
Dr Jeremy Malcolm
Senior Policy Officer
Consumers International | the global campaigning voice for consumers
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